Researchers use Starlink satellites to determine location

Researchers at the University of Texas have found a way to locate Earth using Starlink satellites. They did this by analyzing the signals between the Starlink satellites and the ground stations.

Professor Todd Humphrey and his team shared the results of their research in a paper. In it, they explain how they analyzed connectivity between the Starlink satellites and the Earth stations and looked for the recurring synchronization signals sent by the satellites to the Starlink base stations on Earth. These signals are necessary for the satellites and ground stations to stay in contact with each other and are sent four times per millisecond in the case of Starlink, according to Humphrey.

These signals allowed the researchers to determine both the location and speed of the Starlink satellites in their orbit. Humphrey and his team believe that using the location data from the satellites and the synchronization signals, they will be able to determine the location of the Starlink ground station to within about 100 feet. That is, if they use data from multiple Starlink satellites for this.

If SpaceX decided in the future to add location data to the synchronization signals, the location determination could be done even more accurately, according to the researchers. In 2020 There seemed to be a collaboration between the researchers and SpaceX, but it was then banned by CEO Elon Musk because, according to him, the company could not afford any distractions.

That Humphrey and his team are researching location determination on Earth through the Starlink system is according to MIT Technology Review not by chance. After all, the research was sponsored by the US military, which is reportedly looking for a backup system for the GPS technology it developed.

Incidentally, it is not the first time that researchers have succeeded in determining location on Earth via Starlink satellites. In September 2021, researchers at the University of California developed a similar way to find out the location of the Starlink ground station. Then it was possible to calculate the location to about eight meters.